The Consumer’s Guide to Disposal of
Prescription Drugs

By Michael Zaccaro,
Founder and President of Pharma Logistics

We get a lot of phone calls and e-mails from people wanting information about disposal of prescription drugs. Pharma Logistics doesn’t offer this service to consumers and patients directly, but we want to offer help. We know it’s a big concern for every household. It’s something we think about ourselves to protect our own families and the environment.

Here are some great resources for disposal of prescription drugs:

• The Dispose My Meds site will help you locate a drug take-back or collection program in your area.
• The FDA provides full guidelines for how to dispose of unused medicines.

Why Proper Disposal of Prescription Drugs Is So Important

Industry studies show that people don’t end up taking about 3% of their prescribed medications. This seems like a small number, but it’s enough to cause a real problem. People who don’t know the rules for proper disposal of prescription drugs end up flushing them down toilets or pouring them down drains, which pollutes the waterways and puts public health in jeopardy. Illinois’s Safe Pharmaceuticals Disposal Act and California’s no-flush laws are just a couple examples of recent legislation designed to mitigate the problem.

Leaving medications on your shelves can also be a safety issue in your own house. More than 71,000 kids end up in the ER every year because of accidental overdoses. It’s important to get rid of this danger, but just be sure you do it the right way.

If you can’t find the information you need by using the resources above, I’d suggest you ask your doctor or pharmacist directly. They’ll point you in the right direction.